#text: ryan anderson

[eternal-echoes]

The poll

I don't think it's just that; I think more and more people are realizing that every child deserves a mother and a father and legalizing gay marriage deliberately deprives a kid of one of them. Orphans and children of single parents always long for their missing parents.

While there are unfortunate circumstances like death of a parent or divorcing an abusive spouse that makes it inevitable, ultimately since children are made through the biological union of a man and woman, their spiritual relationship with them should be preserved.

Since we're not just a material being, we're also of both body and soul. Not Cartesian dualism but Hylomorphism where the union of body and soul makes one nature.

The only two ways a gay couple can have a baby is either through surrogacy and/or adoption. Along with its ethical concerns with buying a baby, a gay couple taking a newly born baby from his/her mother is depriving that child with the much needed bonding time with the mother (i.e. breastfeeding, cuddling, etc). It's illegal to sell a puppy within 8 weeks of birth because it would be too cruel to separate it from its mother,* then how much more devastating would it be when it comes to a human child? And a child's need for a mother doesn't stop when he/she no longer needs to be breastfed, the mother is essential for the child's emotional maturity as well.

Here is a video of Ryan T. Anderson back in 2014. I'll highlight some important points but the whole video is really good.

Marriage exists to unite a man and a woman as husband and wife to then be equipped to be mother and father to any children that that union produces. It's based on the biological fact that men and women are distinct and complementary, it's based on the anthropological truth that reproduction requires a man and a woman, it's based on the social reality that children deserve a mother and a father. ... Marriage is the institution that different cultures and societies, across time and place, developed to maximize the likelihood that that man commits to that woman, and then the two of them take responsibility to raise that child. Part of this is based on the reality: there's no such thing as parenting in the abstract; there's mothering and there's fathering. Men and women bring different gifts to the parenting enterprise. Rutgers sociologist professor David Popenoe writes, "The burden of social science evidence supports the idea that gender differentiating parenting is important for human development and the contribution of fathers to childrearing is unique and irreplaceable." He then concludes, "we should disavow the notion that mommies can make good daddies, just as we should disavow the popular notion that daddies can make good mommies. The two sexes are different to the core and each is necessary, culturally and biologically for the optimal development of a human being." ... The impact of marriage. So why does marriage matter for public policy? Perhaps there's no better way to analyze this than looking to our own president, President Barrack Obama: "We know the statistics that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of schools, and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They're more likely to have behavioral problems or run away from home, or become teenage parents themselves. And the foundation of our community are weaker because of it." ... President Obama sums it up very well: what we've seen in the past 50 years since the War on Poverty began, is that the family has collapsed. At one point in America virtually every child was given the gift of a married mother and father, those numbers right now: it's more than 50% of Hispanics children are born outside of wedlock, more than 70% of African Americans are born outside of wedlock. And the consequences for those children are really serious. The State's interest in marriage is not that it cares about my love life, or your love life, or anyone's love life just for the sake of romance. The State's interest in marriage is ensuring that those kids have fathers who are involved in their lives. ... If the biggest social problem we face right now in the United States is absentee dads, how will we insist that fathers are essential when the law redefines marriage to make fathers optional? ... Think about the social consequences if that's the direction the slippery slope in which marriage redefinition would go. For every additional sexual partner I have, and for the shorter lived those relationships are, the greater the chances that I create children with multiple women, without commitment with either to those mothers or to those kids. It increases the likelihood of creating fragmented families and then big government will step in to pick up the pieces with a host of welfare programs that truly drain the economic prospects of all of our states. ... So for all those reasons this is why the State and all states have an interest in preserving the definition of marriage as a union, permanent and exclusive of a man and a woman.

Also an article supporting some of Ryan T. Anderson's points:

It’s worse to be raised by a single mother, even if you’re not poor.

The reason for this is that fathers tend to be the disciplinarian in the family. They provide the moral framework in his children's lives.

Reminder that even though the Catholic Church does not support gay marriage, it doesn't mean that she hates gay people. There is a ministry called Courage International where people with same-sex attractions are encourage to live chaste and holy lives.

*Original wording taken from here.

[bookaddict24-7]

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (October 1st, 2024)

___

Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

___

New Releases:

The Champions by Kara Thomas

The Dark Becomes Her by Judy I. Lin

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick

Killer House Party by Lily Anderson

No Rules Tonight by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada (illustrator)

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicholl

Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

Ros Demir is Not the One by Leyla Brittan

The Kiss of the Nightingale by Adi Denner

Class Act by Kelsey Rodkey

Three Things About Emmy Crawford by Allison L. Bitz

Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood

There is No Map for This by Tom Birdseye

This Dark Paradise by Erin Luken

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Remember Me Tomorrow by Farah Heron

New Sequels:

The Magic You Make (The Spells We Cast #2) by Jason June

Prince of Glass & Midnight (Princes #3) by Linsey Miller

The Brightness Between Us (The Darkness Outside Us #2) by Eliot Schrefer

Nothing Like the Movies (Better than the Movies #2) by Lynn Painter

___

Happy reading!

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of my favorite One Direction VERY rare, rare pairs fics as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers. You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

💖 Tell Me It’s The Strongest Shape by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf

(E, 73k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw/Elgar Johnson) Nick and Elgar have it all. They’re famous, successful, and engaged to be married—and sometimes they play with others.

💖 To start again by @loretheloner

(E, 27k, Louis/Michael Blackwell) Louis finds himself slowly falling for a bandmate again, despite Oli's warnings against it. Michael finds himself slowly falling for his boss and fighting against the ghost of Louis' past relationship. 

💖 The Cyber Sphere by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom

(E, 17k, Louis/Dermot O'Leary) As the author of The Cyber Sphere, a series of best-selling books which have spawned seemingly limitless spin-offs, Louis Tomlinson hides away from the world in his fortress-like London penthouse. 

💖 Jump! by @reminiscingintherain

(M, 15k, Louis/Tommy Longhurst (Only the Poets)) He let out a noise of surprise as his arms were suddenly full of a sweaty body, as Tommy threw himself at Louis and held on tightly. “Thank you so fucking much,” he muttered against Louis’ shoulder, squeezing a little.

💖 cut through the static by bellawritess / @clumsyclifford

(T, 14k, Harry/Alex Gaskarth) “Who’s flirting?” Rian asks from the couch, where he's holding Zack’s acoustic guitar and attempting a B minor chord. Before Alex can jump in, Jack says, “Harry Styles, with Alex.”

💖 Wear It Like A Bruise by alexenglish

(M, 10k, Zayn/Deadpool) Five “coincidental” instances of Zayn wearing Wade’s clothes and one completely planned, masterfully executed instance of Wade wearing Zayn’s.

💖 for your eyes only by @muldxr

(M, 9k, Harry/James Bond) While on a dangerous mission, 007 reunites with an old flame.

💖 Hands on Each Other (series) by notverypunkofme / @stylingmrstyles

(E, 7k, Zayn/Niall Breslin) Sometimes, you have to push really hard to get what you want. And what Zayn wants now is a little bit attention from Bressie.

💖 Mangia Tucci by yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

(E, 7k, Harry/Stanley Tucci) Harry's on holiday with his friends in Italy when he finds himself at the same restaurant as an older actor he's had a crush on since he was a kid.

💖 must be love by @seekforwarmth

(NR, 6k, Louis/Andrew Garfield) AU where Louis doesn’t know how to approach his neighbour, and Andrew keeps receiving homegrown vegetables at his door.

💖 No More Days Alone by @signofcomfort

(M, 6k, Louis/Isaac Anderson) Isaac finds himself lost amidst the tour but Louis is always there to find him.

💖 i see you (from a different point of view) by @farfromthstars

(T, 5k, Niall/Sam Smith) niall and sam have had a casual friends with benefits situation going on for years. that doesn't have to change...does it?

💖 Use Me Like A Fantasy by @homosociallyyours

(E, 5k, Harry/Rande Gerber/Harry Hamlin) Harry's surprised to awaken to the sounds of foreplay in his friend Rande's isolated cabin in the Canadian woods.

💖 softer than satin by cinnamons / @sunbellylou

(E, 4k, Louis/Joel (The Last of Us)) “Wanna go back to bed,” Louis whispered languidly, voice partly muffled by his boyfriend’s lips on his.

💖 One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor by @kingsofeverything

(E, 3k, Niall/Maggie Rogers) Niall and Maggie come up with a way to get revenge on her annoying neighbors.

💖 it's the summer of our love by localopa / @voulezloux

(G, 3k, Louis/Ryan Ross) ryan is in love with his best friend and gym bro, louis. the problem? ryan is straight.

💖 It's All Come and Go by @haztobegood

(E, 2k, Louis/Orville Peck) “Truck stops are like the original Grindr.” - Orville Peck, Coachella 2022

💖 I regret you all the time by @disgruntledkittenface

(E, 2k, Louis/Prince William) Louis’ friends don’t understand, and they wouldn’t even if he explained. But every time William texts, Louis drops everything to go see him.

💖 it's only for the brave by daomaikeng_07

(M, 2k, Liam/Tom Daley) My love, all I want is to protect you. I gave my heart to you a long time ago and I never got it back. I love you, I adore you, I love who I am when I’m with you.

💖 Don't cry, pretty by @lhhome

(E, 2k, Harry/Chris Pine) Chris helps Harry let go after a difficult few weeks.

💖 'Cause What I Want Came True by @lululawrence

(NR, 1k, Louis/Diego Luna) He’d known Diego was attractive, the few photos he had shared on the dating app had made that clear, but there was something about seeing him in person that made him feel… more.

[heartsmadeofbooks]

Through Crooked Aim [2/?]

Summary:

After his father's death, Kurt took over the family business, a diner that was Burt Hummel's pride and joy. He never thought he could be happy in Lima, but five years later he can't picture himself anywhere else. His husband does not understand his sudden love for the small town he was once desperate to leave behind. Blaine Anderson never had much, but he loves the diner. His entire life revolves around it ever since he met Burt when he was still a kid and he took Blaine under his wing. Now that Burt's gone, it looks like Blaine doesn't have a reason to stay around… except for one he's not willing to admit to anyone, sometimes not even himself.

Chapter wordcount: 6370.

After the kids had had their snacks and done their homework, Kurt began to get restless, because Ryan wasn’t back yet. He should have been heading back to the diner. He thought about texting Ryan, asking him if he was on his way back, but a little voice in the back of his head told him it wasn’t a good idea. He needed to give his husband a little bit of space. “Alright,” he said when it looked like there was nothing else to do. He turned to his daughters. “Go grab one of your board games or a coloring book or something. We’re heading to the diner for a bit.” Amelia and Allegra cheered – they loved the diner. They liked hanging out there and eating the treats that Blaine made for them, loved pretending to be waitresses and handing out the menus to people and helping take their orders. It made Kurt remember when he had been their age and done the same, how he had run around the diner trying to help his mom and dad, how he had made memories there that would turn out to be some of the most precious he had now.

Read it on AO3.

[susiephone]

Hey, I liked your poll about commonly assigned texts. Would you be willing to post the entire list? I'd love to know how many I've read.

under the cut!!

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

1984 - George Orwell

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Animal Farm - George Orwell

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

The Lord of the Flies - William Golding

Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare

Hamlet - William Shakespeare

The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Anthem - Ayn Rand

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkein

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

Macbeth - William Shakespeare

Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

Night - Elie Wiesel

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle

Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt

Holes - Louis Sachar

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

The View from Saturday - E.L. Konigsburg

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg

Esperanza Rising - Pam Muñoz Ryan

A Midsummer Night's Dream - William Shakespeare

The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Seedfolks - Paul Fleischman

Number the Stars - Lois Lowry

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

The Crucible - Arthur Miller

Oedipus Rex - Sophocles

Antigone - Sophocles

Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde

The Lottery - Shirley Jackson

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson

Beloved - Toni Morrison

Kindred - Octavia Butler

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler

The Color Purple - Alice Walker

Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison

Speak - Laurie Hale Anderson

Where the Red Fern Growns - Wilson Rawls

Heroes - Robert Cormier

Watership Down - Richard Adams

The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Cask of Amontillado - Edgar Allan Poe

The Masque of the Red Death - Edgar Allan Poe

The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allen Poe

Dracula - Bram Stoker

Carmilla - Sheridan Le Fanu

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

Catch-22 - Joseph Heller

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway

Hills Like White Elephants - Ernest Hemingway

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut

Othello - William Shakespeare

The Most Dangerous Game - Richard Connell

Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

There Will Come Soft Rains - Ray Bradbury

The Gift of the Magi - O. Henry

The Monkey’s Paw - W.W. Jacobs

The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas - Ursula K. LeGuin

Araby - James Joyce

Eleven - Sandra Cisneros

Woman Hollering Creek - Sandra Cisneros

Sweat - Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

To the Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

The Story of an Hour - Kate Chopin

The Storm - Kate Chopin

The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

[talesfrommedinastation]

My redneck neighbor Doug watches 'Bad Territory'

As a few people have quickly surmised, the Bad Batch episode in which they go to Space Swampy Badtimes and punch gators was going to send Doug over the edge with joy. Y'all right!

So, turn up the CCR to 'Born on the Bayou', and prepare for some of the more unhinged things Doug's texted me.

CW: Little more mild, just excitement. When Doug starts rambling about Cajun food, just click here. He says it's one of the best places for boudin and bbq and they'll even process a deer you found on the highway.

------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 8: “::happy Cajun noises::”

Well we back in Space Daytona, outside the HMS Search Warrant because Daddy Rambo can’t afford a trailer now. Does that thing have air conditioning? 

Man, Toaster Strudel’s always gone, is he a space trucker now or what.

Oh, man, it’s Church Lady! She don’t seem too upset by Ryan-from-Accounting being somewhere else, fighting the Space Balrog. But we know why she’s not sad. 

(Does this involve Mayday?

"Who?"

Sassy Park Ranger?

"Hell yeah it does! He’s her beau."

What about Ryan-from-Accounting?

"I done told you once I tell you again RYAN-FROM-ACCOUNTING DIDN’T DESERVE THAT SMART INDEPENDENT WOMAN NONE!")

Maybe Daddy Warcrimes will hang out with Church Lady and she can double dip with him and Sassy Park Ranger. It’s Thanksgiving, dark meat and white meat are on the plate.

(WTF?!)

Well you know why Church Lady’s the Church Lady? She’s been talking to other church folks and if there’s one person who knows how to get info on people it’s the church ladies. Seriously, how do you think they organize EVERYTHING and know EVERYONE. You think they go to church for Jesus that’s a bald lie up in here. 

So Julio fires up the stolen work truck and he and Daddy Rambo are off. 

Wait, if that’s their home, where Little Orphan Blondie and Daddy Warcrimes sleeping? The beach? Come on now. 

Aw, shit, man, is that THOTH STATION?! Meat Muffin, these show people reading your white trash love story book and made it into reality! They owe you MONEY GIRL! Think they’ll meet Fred Johnson or Anderson Dawes?!

And look it’s CAMINA DRUMMER! 

Oh wait no that’s that Chick-that’s-in-Everything! Looks like she’s doing business with the guy Han Solo shot in the club. Think she’s selling him Columbian nose candy? 

Well she’s drinking a whole thing of pinot, don’t blame her, I’d be drinking if Daddy Rambo was up in my club whining for names. Go on the Facebook, Daddy Rambo, it’d be easier.

They’re off somewhere else to help the Chick-that’s-in-Everything. OH MY SWEET TITS OF CHRIST THEY IN LOUISIANA AGAIN! IT’S AN OIL REFINERY! No one can breath! They got a PONTOON! Everything’s orange and sticky!

Oh look at them out in them stinky bayous of Terrebonne Parish! Man did they film this entire season in my home state like it’s the first season of True Detective now I wonder. Man that was a good show. 

Aw man, mines in the water! It IS TERREBONNE PARISH! “He won’t expect us,” damn right he won’t. The Chick-Thats-In-Everything sure knows her shit. She’s a redneck hunter and the lady’s got grit. I wonder if she’s caught Steven Segal. 

There better be OH MAN IT IS! 

SPACE GATORS!!!!!

YEAH! PUNCH EM JULIO! SHOOT EM CHICK-THAT’S-IN-EVERYTHING! OH DADDY RAMBO GOT CAUGHT BUT JULIO PUNCHED IT TOO! PUNCHING GATORS AND THROWING KNIVES AND SHOOTING GUNS IN THE BAYOU, MEAT MUFFIN I LOVE THIS DAMN SHOW!!!!!

The only bad thing about this is now I need to go back to Thibodaux to Bourgeois and get some crawfish boudin, maybe some cracklings, some hogshead cheese too. 

Daddy Warcrimes is doing that thing where you sit around and breathe. Jenny tells me to do that. I’m like woman I do that every damn day at work what’s the difference now. 

They’re at the place–it’s a shack in the woods surrounded by home made bombs and the owner’s armed to the teeth?! MEAT MUFFIN THEY GONE DONE AND FILMED IT AT MY COUSIN CLAYTON'S HOUSE IN TERREBONNE PARISH NOW!!!!

Oh man it ain’t my cousin Clayton whose been weird since he got out of Angola,  now they’re hunting Jeff Goldblum from The Fly! Except now he’s a mantis! Hate those things. Jenny set one on fire after she caught it snapping at one of her hummingbirds. That woman, man, you don’t mess with her garden, she’ll take out the hairspray and a lighter and make a torch out of it. Love her. Married two dozen years now.*

Oh! Jeff Goldblum is trying to escape–but the Chick-That’s-In-Everything knows her shit and cuts her own wire to the pontoon! Maybe she IS Camina Drummer after all. 

Oh, man, they done got that mantis son of a bitch. Now, back to Thoth Station, and of course, the Chick-That’s-in-Everything ain’t coughing up a dime. Just flings Daddy Rambo right off her ship. 

Oh, man, who is she calling? 

I hope it’s not Gun-Safety-Muppet, I hate that blue bastard. 

*= Jenny is a delight and really does flip from ‘Sweetie, you need to meditate’ to ‘I will set bugs on fire for threatening my birds’. She’s the one who taught Jimmers to corner and kill everything in their yard.

@skellymom @cdblake1565 @sued134 @amalthiaph @yeehawgeek @merkitty49 @eyecandyeoz @isthereanechoinhere96 who else loves Redneck Doug?

If you want to be added, please let me know!

PS- I have his ramblings from the last two episodes, but they were not nearly as deranged as this.

[lost-in-liquid-nights]

Roleplay Ad

Update: Due to not wanting to overwhelm myself. While also providing my current rp partners with quality and relatively consistent rp, my request for rp partners is currently closed! Still feel free to reach out if you like and I'll keep you in mind for if things open up.

Ah, hello Tumblr roleplayers, it has been a while! I am one of many who was left adrift after Omegle shut down and am on the search for rp partners.

I am looking for rp partners in a variety of fandoms, genres, ships, etc. I’ll have all of them listed in a hopefully organized manner below and will do my best to keep this list accurate. If you’re interested, feel free to shoot me a DM or interact with this post and I’ll reach out to you. But please do read through this post fully before doing so, thanks!

A Little About Myself:

-Age: 20+

-Pronouns: She/They

-Experience: I’ve been roleplaying off and on in a variety of fandoms and styles for around 10+ years

What I’m Looking For In A Roleplay Partner:

-Age: Roleplayers who are at least 20+ as well

-Style: I’m open to a variety of styles, I roleplay everything from one sentence “text message” style to multi-paragraph advanced lit. Though my preferences tend to lean towards lit/advanced lit.

-Location: I’d prefer someone who’s comfortable transitioning to Discord, once we agree on what we want to rp

-Expectations: One of the things I loved about Omegle were the casual vibes when it came to when an rp needed to end. So, while I hope for some long term rps, I’m looking for people who will be okay with rps ending when interest dissipates. Without the need for big explanations as to why. This goes both ways! I won’t expect such explanations from you either if we start any sort of storyline and you end up wanting to drop out. The way I see it, this is meant to be a fun pass time and ideally shouldn’t feel like a stressful obligation for either of us.

My Current Fandoms & Ships:

Films:

Fandom: Avengers (Films)

Ships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Tony Stark

Fandom: Captain America (Films)

Ships: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Sam Wilson/Bucky Barnes

Fandom: Guardians of the Galaxy (Films)

Ships: Peter Quill/Rocket Racoon

Fandom: Venom (Films)

Ships: Eddie Brock/Venom

Fandom: X-Men (Films)

Ships: Charles Xavier/Erik Lehnsherr

Fandom: Star Wars (Films)

Ships: Luke Skywalker/Han Solo, Poe Dameron/Finn

Fandom: Pacific Rim

Ships: Hermann Gottlieb/Newton Geiszler

Fandom: Star Trek (Original Series, Original Films, and Modern Films)

Ships: James T. Kirk/Spock, James T. Kirk/Leonard McCoy

Fandom: It (Films, 2017) & It (Mini Series, 1990)

Ships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Mike Hanlon/Bill Denbrough

Fandom: Spiderman (Films & Comics)

Ships: Johnny Storm/Peter Parker, Harry Osborn/Peter Parker

Fandom: Nimona (Film & Comic)

Ships: Ambrosius Goldenloin/Ballister Blackheart

Series:

Fandom: Loki (Series)

Ships: Morbius/Loki

Fandom: Moon Knight (Mini-Series)

Ships: Marc/Steven, Marc/Jake, Steven/Jake

Fandom: Daredevil (Series)

Ships: Foggy Nelson/Matt Murdock

Fandom: Infinity Train (Series)

Ships: Min-Gi Park/Ryan Akagi

Fandom: Merlin (Series)

Ships: Merlin Emrys/Arthur Pendragon 

Fandom: Stranger Things (Series)

Ships: Eddie Munson/Steve Harrington, Mike Wheeler/Will Byers

Fandom: Supernatural (Series)

Ships: Dean Winchester/Castiel, Dean Winchester/Benny Lafitte, Sam Winchester/Gabriel

Fandom: Hannibal

Ships: Hannibal Lector/Will Graham

Fandom: The Witcher (Series & Games)

Ships: Jaskier/Geralt, Eskel/Lambert, Eskel/Aiden

Games:

Fandom: Phoenix: Ace Attorney Trilogy (Games)

Ships: Phoenix Wright/Miles Edgworth

Frandom: Disco Elysium (Game) 

Ships: Kim Kitsuragi/Harry Du Bois,  Jean Vicquemare/Harry Du Bois

Fandom: Modern Warfare (Games)

Ships: Simon Riley/Johnny “Soap” McTavish

Fandom: Detroit: Become Human (Game)

Ships: Connor/Hank Anderson, RK900/Gavin Reed

Fandom: Dragon Age

Ships: Anders/Hawke, Fenris/Hawke

Podcasts:

Fandom: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)

Ships: Jonathan Sims/Martin Blackwood, Jonathan Sims/Timothy Stoker, Martin Blackwood/Timothy Stoker, Gerard Keay/Michael Shelley

Fandom: Malevolent (Podcast)

Ships: John/Arthur Lester

[marxalittle]

The rule about reading lists is: I have to have read all the books and think they communicate things of value well.

Here's a current version of a reading list, notionally attached in my mind to a broader queer history and social history syllabus. I'm working my way through a couple texts on Latin American queer experience/history in N and S America currently, and also trying to work out if Outlaw Culture or Black Looks is a better fit, and if both, what to pair them with (I find author centered texts work well as paired readings as they tend to feature the author's thinking about/perspective on some immediate events or phenomena; and contrasting that with another author speaking about similar things can be illuminating).

The list is in no specific order (other than the pairings) and well never be complete.

The Straight State: sexuality and citizenship in twentieth-century America (Canaday, 2009)

The Women's House of Detention (Ryan, 2022)

Times Square Red, Times Square Blue (Delaney, 1999) : paired with/read against Gentrification of the Mind: witness to a lost imagination (Schulman, 2012)

Foundlings: lesbian and gay historical emotion before Stonewall (Nealon, 2001)

How to Survive a Plague (France, 2016) : paired with Let the Record Show (Schulman, 2022) : read against And the Band Played On (Shilts, 1988) [read France, Schulman FIRST]

There's a Disco Ball Between Us: a theory of Black gay life (Allen, 2021)

Common Women, Uncommon Practices: the queer feminisms of Greenham (Roseneil, 2000)

Beyond Shame: reclaiming the abandoned history of radical gay sexuality (Moore, 2004)

Territories of Desire in Queer Culture (Alderson and Anderson, 2000)

Lessons From the Damned (Stoller, 1998) : paired with Illness as Metaphor/AIDS and its Metaphors (double bound) (Sontag, 1990)

Queer Street: rise and fall of an American culture 1947-1985; excursions in the mind of the life (McCourt, 2004)

Forging Gay Identities: organizing sexulaity in San Francisco 1950-1994 (Armstrong, 2002)

[deathtothesoul]

Death to the Soul Chapter 10

When Quinn came into the kitchen the next morning, Ryane was dancing with headphones on as she made herself breakfast. Quinn smiled and took a moment to watch. She wasn’t dancing well but she looked happy. He stepped in, grabbed her hand and effortlessly spun her into him. She looked up at him surprised. Her face flushed as she asked, “How much did you see?”

“I saw plenty,” he said, with a wide smile.

She buried her face in his chest and groaned.

“What are you listening to?” he asked

She handed over her earbud, and he brought it to his ear. It sounded like someone was vomiting into the microphone backed by heavy guitars and drums

He pulled back, his eyes wide. “Is this person sick?” he asked, genuinely confused.

She chuckled and finished making her breakfast. “Where are you going?” she asked, eying his hoodie and sunglasses.

“I have a few things to take care of,” he replied. “I have a doctor’s appointment for my condition.”

“Can I come with you?” Ryane asked.

“No. You’re staying here.” He opened a drawer and fished out a piece of paper and a pen. “Also, you’re going to write a list of things you want my staff to bring here from your house,” he said tapping the paper.

“Why?” 

“I told you. I’m not letting you go back.”

“But... I need to pay rent.”

“I’m going to support you. I will pay for you to get out of the lease.” Quinn kissed her gently on the lips. “I’ll take care of everything.” He pressed his forehead to hers and said, “I want to make you happy.”

She gave him a nervous smile.

He planted a quick kiss on her cheek. “By the way, I’ve left a surprise for you in the living room. I’ll be back later tonight. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said, blushing as he left.

She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety. She made her way to the living room and saw a brand new TV in place of the old one. “Yay!” she squealed and quickly sent a text to Quinn:

Thank you! Thank you! Thank yooou!

He replied:

I’m glad you like it.

She plopped on the couch in front of the TV. It looked so out of place. She turned on a series of historical documentaries and spent the day relaxing.

***

Quinn sat across the street from the school, waiting for Mr. Anderson. One by one the cars pulled out leaving only a gray sedan. Quinn pulled the car around, got out and leaned against the driver’s side of the sedan. When Mr. Anderson walked up to his car, he looked at Quinn with a polite smile.

“Can I help you?” 

Quinn didn’t say a word. He quickly forced a chloroform-soaked cloth over Anderson’s face. He struggled but quickly went limp. He tossed the man in his trunk and hopped back into the driver’s seat. The gray sedan was soon left all alone in the parking lot.

***

Anderson woke in a small room, staring at a white fluorescent light. His hands and feet were clamped to a metal table. “What’s going on?” he demanded. 

Quinn emerged from the shadows with a wolfish grin. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Welcome to your tomb! You may refer to me as death. I will be your host,” Quinn said with a gallant bow. 

Mr. Anderson squinted. “Where do I know you from?” he wondered.

“I was at the funeral for Ryane’s mother.”    

“What do you want? Money?” Anderson demanded.

“I have no need or desire for money. I just want you dead.”

Anderson fell silent as he looked around. “Why?” he uttered. “I don’t even know you!”

“Because you deserve it. Because you’re a pedophile!” He dropped a bag on the table and began looking through it.

“What!? I’m not a…”

“Save it!” Quinn snapped, glaring at him. “You’ll be dead in a few hours. Don’t lie to yourself!” 

Anderson went quiet as he watched Quinn lay out the tools. The air felt alive with anxiety. Quinn took a moment to enjoy the frozen terror etched into Anderson’s face.

He approached Anderson, wielding a pristine scalpel. “I’ve made torture and murder into art forms.” He tapped Anderson’s chest with the blade. “And you’re my new project.”

“You can’t be serious!” he protested, straining against the clamps. 

Quinn stared at Anderson’s chest as an artist would study their canvas, then gracefully etched the word “RAPIST” into his skin. His movements were deliberate, precise and slow.

As the blade separated the skin Quinn watched as the blood poured out and ran down his body. The metallic aroma of blood wafted in the air. Quinn inhaled slowly, taking it in.

Anderson clenched his teeth as his body twisted in pain.

Quinn arched an eyebrow and said, “It hurts more if you fight.” He smiled as he carved “DIE” into his skin.

Anderson’s eyes darted around the room wildly as he panted. “Please let me go!” he begged.

Without a word, Quinn picked up a large kitchen knife and with the fluidity of a skilled violinist, sliced wavy, decorative lines around “RAPIST.” His movements were quicker as he gracefully ripped the skin. He admired his work and smiled, pleased.

“You’re a monster!” Anderson sputtered.

Quinn laughed. “You are right about me being a monster… but so are you. You’ve destroyed so many people’s lives.” He began laying items on the table again. He held up a device that looked like an iron pear attached to a key.

As Anderson surveyed the spread of torture instruments, he broke into a sweat. “Please!” he begged. “I have a family! I have kids!”

“And their father is a pedophile,” Quinn said, inserting the metal device into Anderson’s mouth. “I’m sure we can all agree the world will be a better place when you’re gone.” He cranked the key, making it open like a flower, forcing Anderson’s mouth stretched as far as it could.

“Perfect!” Quinn said, smiling. “Look on the bright side. You’ll be dead in a few hours whereas the people you raped will have to live with deep shame and mental agony their whole life.”

He picked up a draining tube and held it up to show him. “This will be saved for last,” Quinn said. “I would like to start with giving you some adrenaline,” he said calmly, picking up a glass bottle and syringe. He slowly filled the syringe and tapped it to get the bubbles out. “Do you think that’s enough?” he asked.

Anderson whimpered.

“I thought so,” Quinn said, slowly inserting it into his neck. He put it down and picked up a rope with a loop tied in it. “I’m going to use this to restrict your airways so you can’t breathe. The adrenaline will probably make it hard for you to stay still. When you are about to pass out, we’ll take a breather. And then we will begin again.” His tone was soothing like a doctor explaining a procedure. He draped the rope around Anderson’s neck. He could see tears begin to form in his eyes. Quinn smiled and pulled the rope tight. Want more?

Read for free on Wattpad

Available for purchase on Amazon

[rickmoya]

the books I read in 2024

Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf (1)

Digital Cosmopolitans, Ethan Zuckerman

Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson (2)

How To Take Over the World, Ryan North

To Hate Like This Is To Be Happy Forever, Will Blythe

Hark! A Vagrant/Step Aside, Pops, Kate Beaton (3)

Making a Point: The Persnickety Story of English Punctuation, David Crystal

Ducks, Kate Beaton

Operation Do-Over, Gordon Korman

Fight Club 2: The Tranquility Gambit, Chuck Palahniuk and Cameron Stewart (4)

The Fort, Gordon Korman

Romeo and/or Juliet, Ryan North

Turning Japanese, MariNaomi

Abroad in Japan, Chris Broad

Ready Player Two, Ernest Cline (5)

Interesting Stories for Curious People, Bill O'Neill (6)

Hell of a Hat: The Rise of '90s Ska and Swing, Kenneth Partridge

Swamp Story, Dave Barry

The Secret to Superhuman Strength, Alison Bechdel

Blood, Bones and Butter, Gabrielle Hamilton

Flavorama, Arielle Johnson

Welcome to St. Hell, Lewis Hancox

Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword, Henry Lien (7)

The City of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau

Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner

Out Of My Mind, Sharon M. Draper

italics: read it before struck: unfinished

Maybe I just suck at reading now that I'm past 40? I don't know. The last few years I've been making excuses and padding out my list with rereads, but at some point you have to acknowledge the trends. My trend is fewer books. This might be the lowest number I've hit in any year since birth.

I also read ten years each of the webcomics Schlock Mercenary and Sluggy Freelance. Got to a point I hadn't read before, but not finished with either.

I did rotate some stock off my TBR shelf, at least. Not that you'd know to look at it — the shelf is as full as ever. Then again, at least four books up there are rereads, and three others are juv/YA. Maybe I'll make more progress in 2025.

Goals:

Ding 40. (I originally put 50, but, like, come on. Trend.)

At least 40% authors who are not white men. (I did OK there this year: 12/26, not counting the trans guy who is technically a white man.)

At least 10 books off the TBR.

----------------------------------------------

So. I've had this book on my TBR since college. (The first time.) I took a modernist English lit course where we read Ulysses and To the Lighthouse, and Mrs. Dalloway was one of the comparative important links, but after Joyce I wasn't gonna do it right away. I found my copy at a mega library sale around the time I graduated. Opened it several times over the last 25 years, but the stream-of-consciousness/internal-monologue style meant (for me) that I couldn't set it down and come back and remember what was going on. So finally I had a free day and read the whole thing in almost one go. (I technically didn't do this until July, but I attempted to do it during a day off in January, which is why it's first.)

Substitute teaching exposes me to a lot of teacher libraries. Sometimes during a prep period I can read stuff from them. For this book (which I'd heard of but never opened) I was covering a classroom that was empty for nearly four hours.

I started poring through Beaton's comics on her archived website. When I realized my library had two books of it in print, I checked those out for easier reading. This entry encompasses all of it.

It's a graphic novel! It's totally unnecessary! It gets way too meta (to the point that it acknowledges IN TEXT that it's too meta)!

If you feel like you need to read this, ask yourself: have I already read Ready Player One? If so, then ask: was my favorite part the constant Family Guy-style "memba this?" references. Because this is that, just with different fandoms.

My niece got me this one. It's like a book full of factoids or the beginnings of stories. Not immersive, but good for while waiting through piano lesson.

Another substituting library selection, about an alternate-universe Taiwan where the predominant mode of transportation/self-defense is ice skating. I had a prep, thought this is a stupid book and then read half of it before the day was over. So endearingly stupid, I checked it out of the public library to finish.

[sillyname30]

I just listened to the latest episode of and that's what you really missed on Glee. It seems like Jenna and Kevin really changed their attitude. They are positive. They are not complaining as much. Jenna seems to be really into it. They talked about Darren.

Matt Bomer suggested to Ryan Murpy that he should consider Somebody That I Used to Know as a duet on the show. A week later Matt received a text from Ryan asking if he wanted to come at the show and sing it.

Jenna and Kevin talked about the Cooper Anderson's audition tape and wished it was in the episode. The chemistry of Matt and Darren was unreached.

Kevin talked about working with Dianna. Some of the stuff at the steep ramp was ad lib. The hysterically laugh was really. Kevin catching Dianna when she starts to roll backwards was real. Kevin said that when they got to do scenes with people they weren't normally paired with it was so much fun.

Jenna said that Eric Stoltz was the only director that would call somebody in who wasn't written in the scene. She loves Eric Stoltz, but she didn't love that because they were never not in a scene. (I'm not sure what she wanted to say. Maybe that they did have less free time?)

Jenna said fiming at the amusement park was awesome. The whole parking lot was empty. It was just their trailers. She loves roller coasters, but she hurt her back really bad before that and had to sit out most of it.

Jenna said that if you're a really good actor (like Matt Bomer) you have to play against all of your instinct to be that bad.

Kevin said Darren got something to do. They all got into like a rhythm of the character, what their everyday lives and dramas are. And Blaine all of the sudden gets irritated the entire time. And it's so amazing to see somebody who is so likeable like Matt Bomer come in and then have a character that hates him. And Darren was so good at it.

Kevin said it was a showcase of Matt's abilities and range and also for Darren because they all got to do things that were outside the norm for them.

Kevin mentioned Matt's Instagram post of Darren in Little Shop of Horrors. (thanks to the anon who sent it to him.)

cringe moments: I'm Still Standing (in the context)

best dance move: Hungry Like a Wolf/Rio (Kevin), skate park (Jenna)

best song: Somebody Like I Used to Know (Kevin), Fighter (Jenna)

performance mvp: Matt Bomer

[wordpress-blaze-176197706]

The Ridge- REPUBLISHED

Into the Wilderness: Part 6

Our rented SUV was one of the last in the parent caravan. We drove along winding paved roads until we turned off onto dirt pathways, passing white clapboard houses nestled among the hills, weathered with moss, a lone horse, a few sheep hugging dilapidated barns. Then, we turned off those dirt roads onto pitted tracks created by other four wheelers. We navigated slowly up the mountain, wheels edging steep declines. We bumped over rocks, tree branches scraping our doors. We passed an overflowing stream.

Finally, the line slowed and stopped. In what seemed like practiced unison, SUVs turned slightly off the tracks. The forest was damp and thick, the soil emitting steam as the sun warmed it. The Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia are actually a temperate rainforest and that becomes obvious the moment you crack open your car door. The moisture and heat- it was now late August- envelope you.

All around us was green. If our teens were camped in these woods, seeing them through the trees was nearly impossible. Chuck and I got out of our SUV and followed the other parents walking toward an incline about a half mile down the path. A sense of human presence started to emerge. An abandoned steel tent frame gleamed in a clearing- not from our campers; they have strict rules to leave the forest as they find it. In the distance, smoke from a campfire wafted through the green light. We walked toward it.

All around us, teens and parents had begun to re-unite. Rustling undergrowth, excited screams: the teens rushed to meet their parents.

Far down on the path, was a spot of red. As we walked, it formed into a shape, then a figure. It was unloading food supplies from the back of an SUV. The figured stopped and faced our direction.

Squinting, Chuck asked, "Is that Catina?" We couldn't tell. We walked closer. And as we did the figure began to sprint toward us. And then we knew. This was our girl.

We ran. She ran, clouds of dirt rising around her like Pigpen from Charlie Brown. We came together, grabbing hold and squeezing in an enormous hug.

The first thing I noticed was how bad she smelled. And how smelling so bad, she still smelled good. Every mother knows the scent of her child. It's there from the first moment your child is in your arms and you bury your nose in the soft spot where the neck meets the shoulder.

That was the smell I noticed, along with sweat and body odor. Deoderant attracts mosquitos and flies so the teens avoid it.

Next, I noticed her clear eyes. And her dimpled smile. She was happy, not just to see us, but happy. Her body showed it. She had a confidence she had never carried before.

She had firmed up from the hiking and healthy eating. The teens do not eat processed foods and can only have limited amounts of honey as a rare treat. She was covered in bug bites, red welts dotting her arms, ankles and calves. She wore a long-sleeved red windbreaker and splotched khakis, an orange vest with fluorescent tape and a mismatched pair of crocs, one blue, one orange (see our photo in the About page), without socks.

Chuck and I wore "I heart Catina Wipper" T-shirts. In her last letter home, Catina had asked Chuck to adopt her, and we wanted to surprise her with his answer. Just two days before, we had found a small printing shop in Clayton, Georgia that could make our T-shirts in a day. The T-shirt was hidden beneath our buttoned shirts and we opened them in a big "ta da."

We were together again. After eight long weeks of separation.

We walked to the clearing where they had set up camp. In the center was a big tarp with a campfire. The teens learn how to start a fire using self-made bow drills. Designated campers tend the fire to keep it continually burning. No fire means eating peanut butter in big spoonfuls from the jar or handfuls of GORP.

Each teen was assigned a pack of necessities weighing about 40 pounds: sleeping bag, school and therapy notebooks, water bottles, food supplies, bowl and spoon, a change of clothes, bags for collecting waste, a toothbrush. The packs were piled in a mound about 20 feet from the center tarp. A constructed bathing area and latrine were at opposite ends of the camp, both lined with tarps for privacy. Above the camp, on a ridge, the teens had set up their tents. Each day, they choose a favorite spot for sleeping. This one had a view of nearby mountains, blue and hazy in the distance like a smudged charcoal drawing.

The teens had settled down with their parents, excited to tell them about living in the wilderness. They were all so proud. They had lived outside for weeks tending to their own needs. While different issues had brought them together, the underlying issue was often the same: anxiety, depression, low self-esteem. But now they had discovered they could thrive- through storms, heat waves, bug bites, pesky critters, slips and falls.

Catina took our hands and led us up a hill above the camp to a rocky nook shaded by trees. Chuck and I unfolded our chairs, portable, legless contraptions that suspend a body in a reclining position. These "chairs" are provided only to teens who have reached a certain level in their progress- an incentive to work hard. Visiting parents are warned not to give our chairs away, or to let our kids sit in them.

We checked in. How were we each feeling? Excited, happy, complete. Catina told us about her days- what time they rise, packing up, unpacking, hiking off trails, setting up camp, cooking meals, cleaning up. She had never camped a single day in her life before wilderness, and now she loved being in the deep woods, sitting quietly with a book or journal, or staring endlessly at the beauty of it all.

We talked about a lot of things. Her letters. Her inventories. Her memories. Her new-found love of reading. Her regret. Our regret. An awful, violent incident she had hidden from us and blamed herself for because it had happened at a party she shouldn't have been at. What had led her here, to this place, this moment.

When we returned to the camp, dinner prep was underway, a counselor watching as they cubed raw chicken and cut up vegetables, sauteed in a big skillet over the open flame. They made pasta with chicken and vegetables, simple and good. Catina added sriracha, gobbled it down and wiped her bowl clean with leaves from the ground. When I couldn't finish my serving, she was happy to eat more.

Joy. I had never seen her so in her body, so present to herself. She was just Catina. The Catina that is Catina. Not the Catina that anyone else wanted her to be.

As the sun began to set, we hiked up the hill to the ridge where they had lined their tents. I captured a fallen branch as a walking stick to help heave myself up the mountain and across the uneven terrain.

Catina had chosen to place her tent last, at the far end of the ridge. She tied it between trees, a sharp inverted V high off the ground so she could see the sky and feel the night wind. We crawled underneath, removed our hiking boots and handed them to the counselors. We loosened our clothes and laid on top of our sleeping bags, arms and legs interlinked, staring at the moon through the branches. We repeatedly whispered, "I love you." There was not much more to say.

We lay on this ridge of mountain. The ridge seemed endless, stretching across the Appalachian shelf. It had risen millions of years ago, rock crashing together, thrusting upward, a massive tectonic shift continuing to reshape the landscape even today. And here we were now, on this ridge, together. We too had collided, fault lines rippling through our lives. We had forged new selves out of this, our own seismic event. Here on this ancient ridge, we knew we had come far.

Source: The Ridge- REPUBLISHED

[jammie3132]

Sir Knight and Prince Charming, Ch. 6

Fandom: Glee Pairing: Blaine Anderson & Sebastian Smythe Chapter Title: Plot Change: Prince Charming Edition AO3 Chapter Summary: Still reeling from finding out Sebastian was Sir Knight and his break-up with Kurt, Blaine keeps getting hit with more and more information. When he doesn’t know how much more he can handle, he is offered a lifeline from an unexpected source. Will this (FINALLY) lead him to his Knight in Shining Armor? Chapter Note: This is the part where I say I used canon dialogue in this chapter, although I rearranged it to fit my narrative. I have also never been associated with the television show Glee or any Ryan Murphy properties…because if I was, I wouldn’t write “fix it” fics.

WARNING: IMPLIED SELF-HARM OF MINOR CHARACTER DISCUSSED. What happens doesn’t involve self-harm, but I could see how it could be interpreted that way.

WARNING NOT RELATED TO THE SELF-HARM WARNING: Death of a non-canon character is briefly discussed.

“What did you do?!”

Santana smiled as she turned to face the personification of rage she created. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked with feigned innocence.

“Where are my clothes?! And gel?!” Before she could answer, Blaine rushed past her, straight to the closet in the office where he and Sam were storing their extra clothes during the remodel. The only boxes with his name were the two shoe boxes with his bow ties. “Where are they?”

“Stop whining, I left you clothes.”

“Two pair of basketball shorts and my superhero t-shirts…”

“And a hair and makeup person Annabelle knows recommended the hair serum I left in the bathroom. He swears it’s the best on the market.”

“Annabelle?”

“You said, and I quote, Now that I’ve broken up with Kurt, it might be time to make some other changes as well. I was being helpful.”

“Where…are…my…clothes?!!”

“In the dumpster out front…under 500 pounds of rubble. That’s what you get for playing around in the studio until 6AM and then sleeping until noon.”

“I have dinner with my dad tonight! I can’t go in this!”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist. I took care of clothes for dinner tonight and tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Since there’s no work being done here, we’re going shopping. Your mom said she’d talk to your dad about taking care of how we’re paying for everything.”

It took Blaine a moment to grasp what she said. “You called my mom?!!!”

“Texted. She’s in LA with Cooper so 3 hour time difference and whatnot. Did you really think I’d do something like this without approval from my boss?”

“FUCK!”

Blaine stomped out of the office and back down to the basement. He called Sam to vent before confronting his mother. His so-called best friend wouldn’t stop laughing…jerk!! He hung up and was ready to toss his phone when he received a shock 10x’s greater than discovering his wardrobe was gone.

“Hello, Blaine. It’s good to see you.”

Wes Montgomery

The person who befriended him when he didn’t trust people.

The person who not only convinced him he could be a Warbler but lead the Warblers.

The person who (for a short time) became the brother Cooper never was.

The person who told him the motto Once a Warbler, Always a Warbler no longer included him.

“Wes? Hi…um, hello. How? How do you know where I live?”

“Annabelle”

Blaine motioned for them to move their conversation into the lounge. “Annabelle? I’ve known that woman less than a day and she’s already entrenched herself in my life.”

“Would you expect anything less considering the way Sir Knight described her?”

His former mentor’s question was more surprising than the fact he was there in the first place. “You know about…?”

“You and Sebastian reconnecting? Yes, we all do.”

“I didn’t know Sebastian was still in contact with all of you. I mean, Sebastian left Dalton and moved back to Paris…again, none of my business, but can I ask a question?”

“Yes”

“If Sebastian left Dalton a couple of days after I said No Thanks, how was he performing at Sectionals in November?”

“What do you know about Sebastian’s parents?”

“They dumped him on his Nana when he was 2 years-old. He didn’t see them again until he was 16 when they ripped him away from everyone and everything he loved and brought him here. His dad had somehow become State’s Attorney but wanted to run for higher office. They wanted Sebastian in Ohio to present the illusion they were a happy family.”

“That’s about it. And while he’d made connections here, his plan was always to return to Paris when he turned 18.”

“Which was 2 days after Sam and I took McKinley’s trophy back. Why didn’t he say anything?”

“Would it have made a difference?” Wes knew he wouldn’t get a response, so he went on. “Sebastian’s parents fought his return to France, filing a petition with the court stating even though he was 18 and legally an adult, since he had yet to graduate from school they should retain parental custody. The court denied their claim but since his father was State’s Attorney, he was able to change the outcome…at least on paper. The French authorities had no choice but to send him back to Ohio.”

“That’s why he was at Sectionals.”

“When the Warblers arrived back at Dalton that night, his Aunt June was there with a legal court order emancipating him from his parents. He flew back to Paris the next morning.”

“That’s how he…wait a minute. His Aunt June?”

“Yes, and while I know you have a connection to her, I don’t know how. Any questions you have, you’ll have to contact her.”

Blaine sunk into the couch with a sense of defeat. Maybe Kurt was right about June choosing him to reconnect him and Sebastian, not for his talent. “She’s in France. Her sister-in-law…” He sat up so fast he almost jumped off the sofa. “June’s sister-in-law broke her hip. Sir Knight went to Paris because his grandmother was injured. She’s Sebastian’s Nana. She’s the most important person in his life. He loves her more than anything.” At least now he understood why Sebastian…Sir Knight cut off contact. His entire focus would be on her, as it should be. “Thank you for coming and giving me this information, although I still don’t understand why you did. The last time we talked…”

“Annabelle contacted the Warblers a couple of weeks ago trying to get information on you so I knew she knew, or could at least find out, your address. Answering your questions on Sebastian is the price I had to pay to get it. She thought you deserved some of the basics but couldn’t risk her job.”

“But Sebastian will understand you telling me?”

“He will when he finds out why I did it. Trent wants to see you.”

Trent came to you because he thought you’d get rid of the steroids without destroying the Warblers. Arrange some kumbaya sing-a-long like after what happened with your eye. But instead, the Warblers were disbanded and the New Directions got their slot at Regionals. And despite everything you did, our baby-faced Warbler blames himself. You broke him!!

With the words Wes screamed at him the last time they met ringing in his ears, Blaine hugged his legs into himself as if the action would protect him from the memory. “Why?”

“His counselors suggested it as part of his recovery.”

“He’s still…”

“In Big Sur, yeah. He understands you’ve probably got a lot going on with school right now so, this summer?”

“What would I say? That I fucked up? That I didn’t realize how pissed I still was they left me screaming on the ground after the Slushie? That because of the way I felt I should’ve had Trent call you for help? That I should’ve gone to Dalton and talked to the Warblers before I did anything else? That I should’ve remembered Once a Warbler/Always a Warbler wasn’t only in good times? That I was pissed Sebastian let the steroids happen and the only reason I went to Dalton after the scandal broke was to confront him? That I ran away when you told me he left for Paris months before? That it took months to realize my running away from Dalton that day was no different than what they’d done in that parking garage?”

“Blaine…”

“That I trusted someone I shouldn’t have?”

“Yes, to all the above, but I’m personally interested in the last one. Let me guess…Schuester?”

“I never should’ve let Sam and Finn convince me to trust him. I’m not blaming them. This is all on me. But I told Schuester over and over again, the number one priority was the health of the Warblers. Then it was keeping shit out of the press. Colleges, especially Ivy League, could deny someone admission for just being associated with a scandal. He swore he told the Show Choir Association to keep it all hush-hush. When all hell broke loose, I wanted to believe him. Maybe I was in denial, I don’t know. Then the New Directions were awarded the Regional’s slot. I wanted to protest but the other New Directions were so happy, especially Marley who blamed herself for the disqualification since she was the one who fainted. And we were already going to have to pull people out of thin air to make 12 members…”

“I get it, but how did the Show Choir Association justify awarding the New Directions the slot?”

“A wink and a nod then *poof* a random bylaw is conveniently interpreted to say defending National Champions receive an automatic bid to Regionals. None of the previous champions were ever notified this was an option but the bylaw was (air quotes) always there.”

“Ok” Wes stood up, signaling he was done with their conversation. “This was productive. I believe we both had several lingering questions answered. You are to have Santana contact Annabelle when you’ve made your decision about Trent. I’ll see myself out.”

Blaine followed him, knowing he might never get another chance to say something. “Wes…thank the guys for keeping my secret even though I didn’t keep theirs.”

“How do you know they have?”

“Hunter would’ve blackmailed me instead of stealing the trophy. And then the steroids…“

“It wasn’t Brittany’s fault the Lima education system failed her. The only question we had was, if that psycho cheerleading coach hated the New Directions so much, why didn’t she report they were competing with an ineligible member, especially after you guys won Nationals?”

“Britt was also a cheerleader. If the New Directions had to give back their trophies, so would she.”

Wes nodded while wondering why they’d never thought of the rather obvious answer. It wasn’t like he and the guys hadn’t discussed the topic dozens of times. “Blaine, the guys considered reporting Brittany’s ineligibility after what happened with Trent. Not because of you, your exile was the proper punishment. It was because of Schuester. We knew he was involved, just not to this extent.”

“What stopped them?”

“Between Trent and your eye, we decided the bullshit had to end. Brittany didn’t deserve to become another collateral damage victim. From what we remembered she was a sweet girl, innocent like Trent. Being the reason the New Directions were stripped of any title she participated in would have broken her.”

”Like I broke Trent.”

”Yes”

Wes always did know how to get straight to the point. “Any way, thank you...and thank them."

"I will, but one last thing. The Warblers involved with Uptown Girl explained to me, at nauseum, the connection between you and Sebastian. How Seblaine will eventually find their way back to each other. Despite how we feel about you, Sebastian will always be a Warbler. Don’t make him choose between us.”

“Are you saying if Sebastian and I got together, the Warblers would cut him off?”

“No, that’s not what I said. Think about it. Goodbye, Blaine.”

Not long after Wes left, Blaine grabbed his gym bag. Why not? He was dressed for it. His only regret was he’d have to suppress his desire to hit the heavy bag since he was planning on working on music later. Playing an instrument with sensitive knuckles was never fun.

But DAMN, he wanted to hit something.

He didn’t stay long and on his arrival home he was met with the Habitat for Humanity volunteers loading items into multiple trucks and Santana sitting on the front steps with a notepad. “Keeping track of what’s leaving or plotting to make my life even more miserable?”

“You attend the most expensive arts school in NYC and your parents hired me to handle all those pesky everyday tasks so you can focus on your talent. You’re living in a ridiculously luxurious basement through a million dollar remodel of a house your parents bought for cash. There are currently volunteers hauling perfectly good, but not your mother’s style, housing materials out of the million dollar remodel to build housing for people who can’t afford it. Your life is not miserable, Little Prince First World Problems. You might be dealing with a lot of shit, but…but…choose your adjectives carefully.”

Wow, that was a lot…and true. “Hey” Blaine sat on the steps next to her and bumped their shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I shouldn’t have jumped on you like that. I was talking with the Habitat team leaders earlier and it hit me what could’ve happened if you and your parents didn’t save me.”

“San, after what happened to him, Sam would’ve never let you become homeless. And even if my parents were out of the picture, I wouldn’t have let it happen either. I’m kind of sad you don’t realize that.”

“Thanks, Kid.”

“Any time.” Blaine saw her smile return, but it was obvious the topic continued to weigh on his friend. “But I really do have a major first-world problem. A crazy bitch threw all my clothes in a dumpster!”

Santana laughed so loud, one of the volunteers almost dropped the sink he was carrying. “Check the closet in the office. I had Annabelle call the stylist you went to for the Met Gala. His people sent stuff to tide you over until our shopping spree tomorrow.”

“Stephan? Why him?”

“He had your measurements…duh! Go take a shower. I’m busy and you smell like a boy.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Blaine kissed her cheek before doing what she said. His parents’ House Manager was beginning to take her responsibilities way too seriously, but for now, he was ok with it.

A shower wound up being exactly what he needed. And the clothes Stephan sent over were not only perfectly tailored, they were a style he’d been eyeing but was afraid to try. He put on his glasses to rest his eyes then read the instructions for the hair serum. The moment he was satisfied how his curls framed his face, his phone rang. The photo that appeared was a surprise, not as big as Wes, but still a surprise. “Hey, Marley! It’s good to hear from you when we’re not discussing the lockdown. Hold on, you don’t want to talk about the lockdown, do you?”

“No, and I know I’ve kept my distance since I left McKinley, except on the anniversary…”

“Marley…”

“I need a favor. A big favor.”

An hour later Blaine was in a recliner in the theater with his laptop, tablet, phone, and Marley smiling back at him from the screen. Video chats were so much easier using the projector. “Are you sure you want to stay here with all the construction? My mom was serious when she said she’d get you a hotel room.”

“Blaine, all I asked was if you could find out why NYADA rescheduled my audition from Monday to Wednesday. This is too much…way, way too much.”

He agreed it was too much, but it helped ease his guilt. He was fairly certain he was partially responsible for her schedule change…but only like 3%. The other 97% was Kurt’s fault. All NYADA students required to attend a week of seminars on professionalism and legal issues in the entertainment industry? Like that didn’t scream Kurt and his Sebastian/NDA issues.

“I wish you would’ve said something sooner. What were you thinking scheduling both your Tisch and NYADA auditions in one day?”

“I was thinking Mom and I could afford plane tickets to and from NYC but not plane tickets and hotel room. This is all a pipe dream anyway. Even if I get into one of them, I don’t know how I’m going to pay for it. Maybe I should cancel.”

“Concentrate on your auditions. Thanks to my brilliant scheduling you’ll have most of Sunday here to relax before Tisch on Monday and the entire day Tuesday to relax before NYADA on Wednesday. I’m just upset I couldn’t get you out here tomorrow so you could protect me from Santana when we go clothes shopping.”

Marley began to laugh “No can do. I’m totally Team Santana on this one.”

“Well, I’m going to tell her to find you new audition outfits so take that!” Blaine saw Marley’s demeanor change and wondered if he’d push things too far. “Mar, you know I can’t tackle a problem without an immaculately detailed 20 slide power point presentation. You had the unfortunate timing of Sam being in Kentucky. No one ever believed he was the one to reel me in on all of Blam’s Big Ideas but now you know better.”

“I missed you…and Sam, of course. I’m sorry it took the anniversary of the shooting for us to reconnect.”

“You and me both, but that’s the past. Let’s focus on the future.”

When their chat was done, Blaine texted his mom to confirm the car she arranged to pick-up Marley at the airport. It didn’t take long for him to receive a text with a link to the information as well as a reminder of dinner with his father. The constant reminders had him believing this was more than a simple meal because his father was in town.

Something to obsess over later.

He’d awoken that morning (technically afternoon) with a song idea, but the craziness of the day hadn’t allowed him time to get it on paper. He went to the studio to jot down some notes, but for the first time in a long time, everything poured out onto both the piano and sheet music without constant editing and doubt. He was finishing the second verse when he heard…

**Cough**Cough**

“Santana, I’ve told you a million times. If the red light outside the studio is on, it means leave me the hell alone.”

“I’m not Santana.” Blaine closed and reopened his eyes. Nope, he wasn’t imagining this. “You look good. I like your new clothes, and the glasses…and your hair.”

“You’re lying. Go home Kurt.”

“I want to talk.”

“I don’t. No wait, I’ve got a question. How the hell did you get down here? I locked the door at the top of the stairs when I took a shower.” Kurt rocked nervously, telling Blaine he wasn’t going to like the answer. “Well?”

“Um, you didn’t change the code on the lock pad, so I let myself in.”

Shit!

“I said waiting until Monday would be a mistake. Everyone else said you’d never get through the front door. By the way, how did you get through the front door? I want to rub it in while doing my I told you so dance.”

“I didn’t break in, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”

“Well, I’m pretty fucking sure Santana didn’t let you in.”

“Fine! There were workmen taking out garbage, so the front door was open.”

“So, on top of getting a locksmith out here ASAP, Santana has to go Lima Heights on the foreman for his men letting a random person off the street walk into the brownstone without finding out who the fuck he was?!”

“Why are you so mad? I’m not a random person, Blaine.”

“After the shit you said to me yesterday, random person is the nicest title I have for you.”

Kurt didn’t roll his eyes, but his frustration was palpable. “I’m sorry.”

Blaine immediate reflex was to say I don’t care but changed his mind. He could count on one hand the times his former boyfriend apologized during their entire relationship. “You’re sorry for…?”

“Look, this isn’t how I wanted this to go.” Kurt took a deep breath before taking Blaine’s hand in his. “I'm here to get you back. I don't mean to blurt it out like that, but for the sake of clarity, you should know that first I'm going to get your forgiveness and then I'm gonna get your heart back.” Blaine stared at him like he’d grown another head, and for some unknown (idiotic) reason, Kurt took his silence as a sign to keep going. “I know I blew it. I blew the best thing that ever happened to me.” He let go of Blaine’s hand and pulled a wrapped gift from his messenger bag. “Please, please open this. It will prove how serious I am about winning you back.”

Damn it! Why did his curiosity keep playing along? “Airplane tickets to Las Vegas? I don’t understand.” That all changed when he looked up from the tickets to find his (obviously delusional) ex on one knee, holding out a ring box.

“Marry me. I called one of those tacky wedding chapels and we have a slot for tomorrow night. We’ll be back in time for classes on Monday. I know you. There’s no way the ridiculous rumors you dropped out and are meeting June in Paris are true.”

“You want to get married? In Vegas? Tomorrow?” Blaine heard exactly what Kurt said but the two newcomers hadn’t. Although, the bended knee/ring combo spoke for itself.

“I understand it’s not the wedding I…we dreamed of but when the brownstone is finished, we can throw one here for our family and friends. Or better yet, we could rent an event space in one of the posher downtown hotels…”

“Enough!”

Kurt turned his head to see Santana, standing quietly, recording his proposal. She wasn’t the problem. It was the man standing next to her.

Blaine moved around Kurt to stand in front of his father. “You have to let me handle this.”

“No”

“Dad, if you kick him out, Kurt will somehow turn my breaking up with him into a Shakespearean tragedy with you as the villain preventing us from being together. He’ll never let it go.”

Charles pulled Blaine into a hug without taking his eyes off Kurt. “Santana, set a timer for 10 minutes. If Mr. Hummel isn’t gone by then, send down some of the construction crew to remove the trash.”

“Dad…”

“10 minutes, Blaine. Santana…?”

“On it, Boss. Where will you be if I need you?”

“In the theater, taking advantage of the soundproofing. Start the timer the moment I shut the door.”

To be fair, Santana didn’t start the timer until she closed the door at the top of the stairs. With the elder Anderson out of the room, Kurt suddenly had plenty to say. “I’d turn our love story into a Shakespearean tragedy? How could you say something like that? I would never…”

“Are you fucking serious? You don’t remember any of the tales of woe you caterwauled during our last break up? I’ve seen the NYADA blogs. How it’s already common knowledge I dumped you leaving no way for you to spin the rumors in your favor without breaking your NDA, again. And because of your inability to take responsibility for anything, your next logical step would be to blame someone close to me since I can’t be turned into the villain this time.”

“But Blaine…”

“Oh, and if I hear or read one mention of what happened between me and my dad and building a car, I will bury you.”

“You can’t do that!”

“True, but remember my new friend Annabelle? She can. With how much she dislikes you, I wouldn’t be surprised if she already started a just in case file. Maybe I can finally get the full story on the Santa Clause who robbed the loft right before your dad and I arrived from Ohio that Christmas.”

The 15 shades of red Kurt’s face turned were amazing. “I…it’s not…what happened to you? You’ve never acted like this! This is all Smythe’s fault!”

“You’re so focused on Sebastian and Sir Knight, you’re blinded to what is now so obvious. We were bad for each other long before any of that happened…toxically bad. I've been telling myself Love shouldn’t be this hard but couldn't find a way to fix our relationship. I'm beginning to understand our problems weren't the accusations you constantly spewed at me.  The problem was I let you do it.”

“Blaine…”

“No, I will not marry you. I don’t even want to be friends with you. Hopefully, someday we’ll learn to be civil considering our shared ties to the New Directions. And since you have no sense of awareness, show up uninvited again and I’ll let Santana call the cops. I’d do it myself, but it would bring her so much joy.”

“Damn straight it would” Santana responded, holding out her phone. “One minute, Hummel.”

Kurt marched up the stairs, Santana right behind. Once they were out of sight, Blaine spread out on the floor and closed his eyes. He thought when a person expelled that much negativity from their system, they were supposed to feel lighter…free. He was just exhausted.

The next thing Blaine knew he was opening his eyes and groaning as he slowly rose from the floor. His dad’s voice was coming from the theater, so he headed toward the room to find the man in a recliner, wearing a pair of Sam’s sweats and a T-shirt, Empire Strikes Back cued on the screen. WTF???

“Santana, consider the dress a bonus for how you tore the foreman a new one. I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time…The restaurant knows to charge the bill to my credit card…Yes, I know Old Homestead Steakhouse is the most expensive steakhouse in NYC…That’s why you’re getting the special menus without prices. And no Googling before you go. Santana, Sleeping Beauty is awake. You and Annabelle enjoy the dinner. Bye.”

“Dad?”

“Nice nap?” Charles rushed out of his seat as Blaine appeared ready to pass out. “Ok, let’s get you to the lounge to lie down. I can turn down the lights, it looks like you’re getting one of your headaches.”

“I’m fine. We’re supposed to go to dinner.”

“We were but when Santana and I found you passed out on the floor, I switched our plans. Santana and Annabelle took our dinner reservation.” Once Blaine was situated on one of the sofas, Charles covered him with a throw blanket before getting Tylenol and a bottle of water. “Here take these. When was the last time you ate?”

“Um…yesterday. Where are you going?”

“To find something for you to eat more substantial than the hot dogs, popcorn and cupcakes I planned for our movie marathon.”

“Sam lives here. We always have healthy food.”

“Another reason why I love that boy. Close your eyes. I’ll be back in a minute.”

As fuzzy as his head was, Blaine wondered if he misheard something his father said. “Did you say you gave Santana and Annabelle our reservation? You willingly gave up your favorite steak in the world for Star Wars and hot dogs?”

“No, I willingly gave up my favorite steak in the world for my son. Close your eyes. That’s an order.”

“Sorry, Santana’s now the boss of me.”

Charles chuckled knowing (but would never say out loud) this was the very reason his wife hired the girl. “Do you want me to call her?”

“No, I’ll close my eyes. And Dad…thanks.”

“Baaaaaassssss, please...more.”

“B…”

“Don’t say it. Anytime I’ve dreamed of being naked in a bed with you, we were never making love. The sex was always hard, pounding, passionate, sometimes pornographic. I want this…I need this.”

“Your wish is my command, Killer.”

Blaine opened his eyes to the instant buzz kill of his dad on another sofa with his briefcase and documents spread out on a coffee table. Hopefully, he hadn't done anything embarrassing in his sleep.

“You’re awake. How’s your headache? You were moaning for a while.”

He thought nothing could knock The Gap Attack out of the #1 position on his Most Embarrassing Moments of My Life list, but he was wrong…so, so, wrong. “My headache is better, but I am hungry. I was probably dreaming of food.”

Sounds reasonable

“Well, I talked to Sam, and he said the best thing to do is give you food in small amounts every half hour. First, were going to raise your blood sugar…OJ, almonds and black tea with honey. He said your headache might be from caffeine withdrawal. Evidently you have quite the coffee addiction.”

“If I’ve got to raise my blood sugar, why not one of the cupcakes you mentioned? I’m assuming they’re the double chocolate-chocolate chip jumbos with hazelnut frosting and a salted caramel core from the bakery by the Plaza.”

“Of, course.”

“To celebrate my breakup with Kurt?”

“Not going to deny it but I’m not nearly as bad as your mom.”

“What did she do?”

“An expensive bottle of champaign was delivered less than an hour after I told her.” Blaine couldn’t help but laugh because that was exactly something his mom would do. “I’ll be back.”

Spending time with his dad like this was nice…and then completely ruined when he remembered he never told his parents the name of the Warbler who threw the Slushie. They never asked, so he let it go.

However, Kurt didn’t. When he reminded his then boyfriend he was the one who gave away the only piece of physical evidence without asking the VICTIM first, he backed off. Now there was nothing stopping him.

When Charles returned, he put the nuts and OJ on the table next to Blaine before handing him the tea. “Drink this while it’s hot.”

“Dad…”

“Drink now, talk later.”

It was the best tea Blaine ever had, but he had a feeling it was because it felt so good going into his system. This wasn’t the first time he’d gotten so busy/distracted he skipped meals, but nothing like this had happened. He put down the mug then drank the OJ in less than a minute. Grabbing the bowl of nuts, he adjusted to get comfortable. No, he was already comfortable. This was nerves. “Dad, I need to tell you something and we need to do it now. Kurt knows and I can see him trying to get revenge by telling you first. Do you remember when you were here the last time and Sam and Santana were teasing me about someone named Sir Knight?”

“He was the wrong number June gave you who wound up being your Knight in Shining Armor by helping you get where you were supposed to be. Right?”

“Yes. We never told each other our names. There’s some super-secret mystery involving his career, so it was easier that way.”

“Super-secret mystery?”

“There are $1 million NDAs involved. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is I didn’t try to find out his real name, but I did. I knew him. He went to Dalton after I left. His name is Sebastian.”

Charles sat stoically for a few moments then smiled bigger than Cooper at the end of his Free Credit commercial. “Sam was right? Your mother and I didn’t want to get our hopes up…”

WTF??????!!!!!!!

“Dad, I don’t think you understand.”

“Sebastian Smythe was the Warbler who threw the Slushie that caused you to have eye surgery. I know, so does your mother.”

WTF??????!!!!!!!

“You KNEW?! Who told you?”

“Seb. He came to the hospital to meet with us while you were in surgery. He didn’t tell you the night you stayed at his parents’ house after the lockdown?”

WTF??????!!!!!!!

“That was months later. And how…how did you know I was with Bas that night?”

“You call him Bas? That’s nice. And we knew you were there because he texted us when you arrived and left for home. He knew we’d worry.”

“He had your phone number??!!!”

“Seb didn’t tell you…” Charles’ eyes went wide as he leaned back into his sofa. “You two didn’t talk at all, did you?”

New #1 on his Most Embarrassing Moments of My Life list

“Uh…”

“I don’t know if I should give you a birds and the bees lecture or a high five because Seb left no tell-tale marks and you were gone for HOURS!”

“DAD!!!!”

“What? Your mom and I never understood why you went back to Kurt when someone as perfect as Seb was right there, and now it makes even less sense. He moved back to Paris…but Son, HOOUURRS!”

“Dad, stop! Or I might actually pass out this time.”

“Ok, you rest. It’s time for scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt and pushing water to prevent dehydration. Plus, I have to call your mom, or she’ll kill me for not telling her as soon as I found out.”

“Dad…don’t, don’t…just don’t tell her everything.”

“Scared Cooper might overhear?”

“Yes, but also…SHE’S MY MOM!”

It was another hour until Blaine could look his father in the face, but the time gave them a chance to self-evaluate what happened. Both knew the direction their next conversation must take, but they’d been avoiding it for so long it was hard to know where to start.

Upon returning from his third trip to the bathroom Blaine broke the ice. “I’m pretty sure we can cut back on the water.”

“You weren’t as wobbly this time but you’re still awfully pale. Maybe it’s time to go to an ER.”

“I don’t think my continued paleness is from skipping a few meals. It’s me enduring the most embarrassing conversation of my life.”

Charles closed his briefcase and settled in for Part 2. When he invited Blaine to dinner it was to tell him some news regarding both him and his brother. He was beyond relieved it had been delayed because what happened next was going to weigh heavily on his son’s opinion. “Was it embarrassing because for so long you believed I was a homophobe?”

“I knew you weren’t a homophobe, I just thought you didn’t want a gay son. For some reason it was easier to believe than…”

“I would always choose Cooper over you?”

“Well, yeah but both could’ve been true.” Almost 5 years of pent-up anger boiled to the surface and Blaine was finally ready to let it out. “We were supposed to talk, just you and me, the day after I told you. But no! Copper had another one of his never-ending emergencies and you flew out to LA instead. I was so hurt and then the car arrived.”

“It was horrible timing, I know. But when I tried to explain you yelled that because I left you went online to learn about sex from gay porn sites.” Charles’ train of thought was cut-off by an epiphany. ”Blaine, my comment about a birds and the bees lecture…I’m so sorry. Hell, everything I said was inappropriate.”

“At least now I know for sure you don’t have issues with my being gay. But then what was up with the car?”

“Again, I’m so sorry, but I didn’t realize the ramifications of my leaving until I was halfway to LA. I want you to understand I figured out what I’d done wrong before my plane landed.”

“Why?”

“Because I checked my voice mails while waiting for the rental car. It was full of angry messages from you mother telling me I’d better come up with a way to fix my mess or not bother coming home.”

Blaine grabbed his phone and sent an I LOVE YOU gif to his mother. “Is this where the car comes in?”

“I don’t know if you remember, but when you were around 3 you’d find ways to get past the gates and come into the garage when I was working on that old Camaro I rebuilt. You wanted to help so badly I’d lay out my tools on the floor for you to bring to me. Some of them were so big and you were so little…”

“I do have some flashes of those memories, but they might be from looking at the photo album full of pictures Mom took.”

“Your mom does love to take pictures.” Charles didn’t want to admit he’d forgotten about the album. Yet another way he’d failed Blaine. “In less than a month I didn’t have to point them out, you knew every tool, even the sizes of wrenches and the difference between Phillips and Flat Head screwdrivers. But I’d bought the car for Cooper’s 16th birthday and he didn’t want it so I sold it. I was so upset but didn’t consider you would be as well. Then your mom bought you your first violin and your path as a musical prodigy began. Son, I didn’t get the car because I wanted my straight son back. I got it because I wanted my little boy back.”

Blaine went to sit beside his father and dropped his head on his shoulder. When Charles wrapped his arm around his shoulders, he felt a sense of calm unlike any he could remember. In the Anderson family tradition, he decided to crack a joke instead of cry like a baby…for now. “I’ll always be your little boy. Cooper is 6 inches taller than me.” Laughter was followed by a kiss on the head, a gesture usually performed by his mother. Speaking of… “You never told me why Mom is in LA. What emergency did Cooper have this time?”

“None” Blaine lifted his head, his eyes clearly saying Bullshit. “I’m serious. Cooper turns 30 next month and will receive what remains of the trust fund his mother set up before she passed away. Let’s just say it’s significantly smaller than he anticipated.”

“Can I ask why?”

“His mother’s wishes were upon his graduation from high school, Cooper was to receive a monthly allowance from the trust. The rest could be used for college, a gap year backpacking through Europe, a wedding, a house…things like that. Beverly came from an extremely wealthy family. Did you know that?”

“Oh, yeah. Cooper mentioned it several times.”

Charles shook his head as this was something he should have guessed. “When we found out she was sicker than we thought, she told me she wanted me to find love again and have more children. She knew I would never accept her money to take care of our son, so we compromised. I’d support Cooper’s childhood and she’d take care of him as an adult.”

“That’s an…um, unusual arrangement.”

“You don’t argue with a woman with Stage 4 cancer who is leaving her baby behind.”

Blaine had no comeback for that. “But of all the things you listed, the only one Cooper did was buy his condo.”

“He had all those emergencies, as you love to call them. I took care of whatever mess he got himself into but your mom’s a bookkeeper. She kept every single receipt. We told him we were going to do this before he left for LA but he conveniently forgot.”

“That trust must’ve had a ton of money if it’s not empty.”

“It did at one time. However, the reason there's anything left is because your mother and I agreed to pay half of his expenses, except his condo, until the money was fully his. We knew his moving to LA was going to be a disaster. We didn’t want him to drain the trust before he tuned 30 and had hopefully grown-up. Don’t laugh… Also, I can admit a large part of Cooper's issues stem from me always being the one to fix his emergencies, not him. But I was such a mess when his mom died, I could barely get out of bed let alone parent a baby. Thank God your mother showed up in my life because I was beginning to consider Beverly’s sister’s offer to adopt him.”

“And that guilt never really went away?”

“Nope. I’m not giving you an excuse, I’m giving you an explanation, or at least the best one my therapist and I came up with.”

Ok, that was shocking. “You? Charles Anderson went to therapy?”

“I know I fought the idea of family therapy, add it to my list of failures. But 6 months ago, when I got a reminder from the lawyers about Cooper’s trust, I made a decision. The moment the money was his, he’s on his own. No more financial assistance, no more running to his rescue. I thought therapy would give me coping mechanisms to not give in again.”

“Great! But you still have answered why Mom is in LA and not you.”

“She’s laying the groundwork. When Cooper heard about this place and how Sam got the lead in the Magic Mike musical, the movie he starred in…”

“Channing Tatum starred in the movie.”

“Not according to your brother.”

Blaine braced himself, afraid to ask the question he already knew the answer to. “What did he do?”

“He put his condo up for sale and demanded to be included in the remodel since he needs this place when he moves to NYC to launch his Broadway career.” Charles tightened his hold on his son to keep him from freaking out. “Since I was supposed to meet with the record label people, your mother went to tell him we had other plans for the brownstone so he might want to get his condo off the market.”

Blaine let out an audible sigh before asking “Are you and mom moving to NYC?”

“Our original plan was for you and Sam, and now Santana, to live here until you graduate and then we’d sell it. Then you and your friends discovered what happened down here and named the basement Blaineland. Remember when I said Cooper’s mother wanted me to find love again and have other children?”

“Yeeeeessss?”

“Without my knowledge, she set up a second trust for any future children I might have. We’d wanted to have a large family so I’m assuming she thought I’d have many kids and not just one miracle baby. Because of this, all the money is yours. Sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, it was never the right time. Because of that we didn’t use the money for NYADA this year.”

"Take it back!”

“If you insist, we’ll talk about it later. Let me finish what I have to say first.” By this time Blaine was speechless so he nodded as a signal to continue. “Since your trust has the same stipulations as Cooper’s, it meant you could buy a house with the money before turning 30, so we put this place in your name. The brownstone is yours.”

This time his father couldn’t hold him down. “You wouldn’t use the money for NYADA, but you bought me a fucking house? Are you hell bent on watching me pass out?”

“Hadn’t you noticed despite Santana mastering your mother’s insane lists, there were always questions only you could answer? Do you prefer this or that color for the bathroom walls? What would be best…the new fridge/freezer to be stainless steel or blend in with the kitchen cabinets?”

Blaine practically fell back to where he’d been sitting. “Sorry about the curse word.”

“You’re an adult now and with what I’ve dropped on you, I’m surprised that was your first F-bomb.”

“Was this what you wanted to talk about over dinner?”

“Yes. Are you ok? The color is leaving your face again.”

“Dad, this is insane.”

“Why? Blaineland is perfect to help launch your music career. And another thing, whenever we gave Cooper money, your mother and I set the same amount aside for you. There’s more than enough to live off for the next 10 years, even paying Santana’s, or whoever’s, salary and the benefit package we put together.”

Just when he thought he’d regained his bearings, Blaine was once again overwhelmed. After his conversations with the New New Directions earlier that week, he’d begun to analyze all the decisions he’d made since the lockdown, and he wasn’t proud of most of them. Then the over the past 2 days that analysist stretched to cover the last 4 years…Kurt, leaving Dalton, Sebastian, Cooper’s fake attempt to repair their relationship, the mess with Kurt at the start of Senior year, No Thanks, Trent, getting back together with Kurt, choosing NYADA instead of Julliard or Tisch, Sir Knight, June, breaking up with Kurt…again, Wes, Kurt’s ridiculous proposal, his yearlong writer’s block when it came to love songs, this evening.

It was all too much. Hopefully, his father would understand.

“What you and mom, even Cooper’s mom, have done is amazing but a lot of things have happened in the past couple days that have my mind spinning. I know everyone talks about me having OCD but I don’t think it’s as big a joke as we think. Right now, I’m so overwhelmed I can’t process it all.”

“Do you think that has as much to do with how you’re feeling as the fact you forgot to eat?”

“More…I think it has everything to do with my health this evening. I know NYADA costs a lot of money…”

“Is this about Santana and what she said about First-World problems? She told me she’s really sorry…”Charles heard Blaine sigh in exasperation “Sorry, lips zipped.”

“Thank you this is hard enough. I, I…I don’t think I can go back.”

The elder Anderson smiled wider than he had when he found out Sir Knight was Sebastian. “When you were lying here, looking so pale, I thought of suggesting leaving NYADA and going somewhere out of NYC to rest for a while. Someplace by the water or in the mountains. But I know how you feel about running away from things, so I didn’t know how to address it.”

“I think this time I wouldn’t be running away. I’d be running toward something.”

“Sounds like you have an idea.”

“I do. I want to go to California for a couple of months until Sam’s opening night.”

“You want to go to California, where your brother is? I don’t think that’s going to help your stress and anxiety.”

“I don’t want to go to LA. I want to visit an old friend in Big Sur.”

7AM THE NEXT MORNING

Santana knew she was going to hear shit from Blaine about her so-called walk of shame and she couldn’t care less. She really liked Annabelle…like Brittany level like. But since she was leaving for Paris tomorrow night, with no firm return date, they both thought it would be a good idea to determine whether or not a long-distance relationship was worth it considering they’d only known each other 2 days.

Oh yeah, so worth it.

She went to the office to get a change of clothes before heading downstairs to shower. Hopefully, Blaine had a good night’s sleep. He looked awful the last time she saw him, but they had a busy day of shopping ahead.

When she got downstairs, she didn’t see Blaine in either the lounge or studio. The bathroom door was open, that left the theater. Why would he sleep in there? Did he and his dad fall asleep during their movie marathon?

The theater was empty as well. However, Blaine’s smiling face was on the screen and the remote had a Play Me post-it attached. If he’d talked his dad into getting him out of shopping, there’d be hell to pay.

By the time you watch this I’ll be on a plane to Kentucky. I’m surprising Stevie and Stacy for their birthday. I’m also going to fill Sam in on everything that’s happening. He’ll be back tomorrow instead of Monday and will let you know what’s going on. I’m sorry I don’t have the time and where I’m going doesn’t allow cell phones. I will write you a letter once I’m settled.

Oh, Marley is going to call around noon. Take the call.

Nothing has changed…except the fact the brownstone is mine and I’m technically your employer. I won’t say boss because we both know who the real boss is in the house. I trust your judgement picking out furniture and any remaining remodel details. I love Sam but I don’t want bean bags in front of a 72in TV in the living room. That’s why we have the theater. And just because my clothes you threw out were some interesting colors, it doesn’t mean they should be considered for my bedroom walls.

When I say my bedroom, I mean the one that shares a bathroom with Sam’s. Like I said, nothing changes. You keep the master and private bathroom. We both know I’ll sleep most nights in Blaineland when I get home.

And Tana, thank you for sharing with me the other night. Because you were so brave, I was able to do the same with my dad. It was amazing, possibly life changing. You keep saying my parents and I saved you but you, my Heroine in High Heels, will never understand how eternally grateful I am you are in my life.

There’s a gift for you on the concession stand. Bye for now.

Santana hadn’t noticed the piece of paper on the counter. The dork should have warned her not to read it alone.

I, Blaine Devon Anderson, hereby enter a 5 year rental agreement with Santana Lopez with $0 due at the first of every month. She is free to end or extend the agreement at any time

This agreement is not contingent on whether or not Miss Lopez remains in my employment

Miss Lopez acknowledges she will be living with the loud, nerdy, sometimes stinky and messy, but always loveable, Blam…and possibly another roommate in the fall (More information to come)

Miss Lopez also acknowledges Sam will be getting a dog sooner than later

11 AM SUNDAY…PARIS

Sebastian loved the smell of Paris in the Spring.

He hadn’t spent much time outdoors since his arrival…driving back and forth to Château sur la colline and pushing Nana’s wheelchair through the hospital’s gardens. But every day at this time he got around 30 minutes to come outside, sit on a bench and just breathe. It was the time his grandmother’s nurse would come in and say the 2 magic words…sponge bath.

As much as he loved his Nana, he wasn’t hanging around to see that.

*Groan* “You look like shit. What did your parents do this time?”

Standing in front of him was the last person he expected to see…ok, second to last. “Stephan, what the fuck? Don’t you have several A-listers to style for the Met Gala in 2 weeks?”

“You thought I wouldn’t come? I’m pissed I couldn’t get here sooner, and I’m stunned I’m not bailing you and/or Grandma June out of jail. I heard you finally got proof your parents were there when Aunt Juli fell. Where are they now?”

“In the wind as usual. I’m sure they’ll slither back when Nana is released.”

“She’s not going to a rehabilitation facility?”

“We can get all the equipment she needs and hire private nurses and physical therapists. Plus, now I’ve hired double the security and the DGSI is involved.”

“How did that happen?”

“You’re kidding, right? First of all, there’s a restraining order…”

“Which should be handled by the police.”

“And secondly, you don’t get elected in this country unless Nana gives you a public endorsement.”

“Ah, yes, how could I be so stupid?”

“Because you are that stupid.”

“I love you too, Cousin.”

Sebastian stood and stretched. “Come on, Nana should be done letting the nurses make her even more beautiful.”

“No, I’ll go. You sit back down.”

“No, I have to go…”

“Sit down Seb.”

“Fine, but why the fuck are you so adamant about it?”

“Here” Stephan handed him the gift bag he’d been carrying, which Sebastian assumed was for his grandmother. Inside the bag was a box and inside the box was… “A cronut?”

Stephan didn’t answer, just handed his cousin a letter and walked away.

To my Sir Knight from your Prince Charming

TBC in Chapter 6 Plot Twist: Sir Knight Edition

Notes:

There are a few storylines I completely ignore. Kitty giving Marley an eating disorder is one of them. Blaine’s overall attitude/involvement with reporting the Warblers for steroids never felt right (besides the obvious the ND were disqualified at Sectionals). Taking down Hunter was one thing, but in the “Big Neck” photo montage, there were Warblers who were at Dalton in Season 2. Yes, the Slushie is in between, but still…Also, Sebastian wasn’t in the montage and Trent doesn’t mention him when talking with Blaine, Sam and Finn. That’s my justification for he wasn’t there. Explaining how he didn’t know and still competed at Sectionals was the hard part. As for Wes' attitude toward Blaine...The two of them are often written as either big brother/little brother or mentor/mentee. I chose to write Wes where his loyalty was to the Warblers as an institution, with no sympathy for those who broke the OAW/AWA code. It was hard to do. I kept wanting to make it ok for Blaine, but not this time. Previously Unaired Christmas was Episode 5x08 but it was originally supposed to air in Season 4. If both 5x08 and 4x10 (the episode that aired in its place) are canon, then Kurt was left tied up and gagged on his bed by sexy Santa right before Burt arrived to tell his son he had cancer, bringing Blaine along so they could sing their Christmas duet.🤮 A 3 year-old carrying tools is totally unsafe but this would have been in the 90’s. A lot of things that are seen as unacceptable today were fine back then. There were a lot of events I wanted to add to Blaine’s conversation with his father, but felt if I added any more it would bog down an already over-stuffed section. Unanswered Seblaine questions will be in the letter, but if you’re curious how I would have handled something between Blaine and his father that I didn’t address, ask.

[breakingnews360official]

Ryan Anderson and Ken Urker Engage in Heated Text Dispute Over Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Gypsy Rose Blanchard Ryan Anderson Issues Homophobic Remarks Towards Ken Urker During Fiery Text Message Exchange Published May 20, 2025 2:22 PM PDT | Updated May 21, 2025 10:49 AM PDT Recent revelations from TMZ showcase a startling exchange of text messages between Ryan Anderson and Gypsy Rose Blanchard. In these messages, Ryan is reported to have launched a series of aggressive insults…

[cheapandawesome]

Ryan Anderson Goes After Ken Urker in Nasty Text Exchange Over Gypsy Rose Blanchard

TMZ has obtained eye-popping text messages between Ryan Anderson and Gypsy Rose Blanchard that show Ryan allegedly going off on Gypsy ... and using a homophobic slur to insult the father of her baby, Ken Urker. Check out the screenshot -- Ryan… via https://ift.tt/0lNF1WR

[labelleperfumery]

Ryan Anderson Goes After Ken Urker in Nasty Text Exchange Over Gypsy Rose Blanchard

TMZ has obtained eye-popping text messages between Ryan Anderson and Gypsy Rose Blanchard that show Ryan allegedly going off on Gypsy … and using a homophobic slur to insult the father of her baby, Ken Urker. Check out the screenshot — Ryan… from TMZ.com https://www.tmz.com/2025/05/20/ryan-anderson-goes-after-ken-urker-text-exchange-over-gypsy-rose-blanchard/

[ahmedhashimabdullgader]

Ryan Anderson goes after Ken Urker in annoying text exchange via Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Gypsy Rose Blanchard Ex Ryan throws homophobic smells of Ken Urker In heated text exchange Published May 20, 2025 2:22 pm PDT TMZ has striking SMS messages between Ryan Anderson And Gypsy Rose Blanchard That show Ryan is said to go on a gypsy … and the use of a homophobic blemish to insult her baby’s father, Ken Urker. View the screenshot-ryan seems to accuse the former commitment of the…